Try Shadow of the Tomb Raider for free before you buy

What just happened? Square Enix has launched a free trial of Shadow of the Tomb Raider in hopes of boosting sales. It’s unclear how long the promotion will last so if you’re interested, it’d be best to check it out ASAP.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider launched on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC back in September. If you missed the opportunity to check out Lara Crofts’ latest adventure – a forgivable offense given the steady diet of big-budget releases the past few months – you’re in luck as Square Enix is now offering a free trial of the game.

The offer, available on PS4, Xbox One and via Steam, grants full access to the opening levels of Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Progress made in the free trial will carry over to the full game, we’re told, so you won’t lose any achievements or trophies.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider hasn’t been the major hit that Square Enix was hoping for (hence the free trial and an earlier sale) but it did earn a nomination for best action / adventure game from The Game Awards. We’ll find out tonight if its bid was successful but given the stiff competition (it’s up against Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man and Red Dead Redemption 2), a victory seems like a long shot.

PCGgamesN reported shortly after launch that physical sales of the game in-store in the UK were down 70 percent compared to the 2013 reboot. Digital downloads weren’t accounted for, however, so it’s difficult to get an accurate measure of just how well the game sold early on.